This summer the men's and women's ultimate frisbee teams have combined forces to form one coed team.
The teams are usually composed of 15 women and 30 men, but in the summer 20, five of whom are women compete.
Summer co-captain Chris Carbone '97 said ultimate frisbee practice is not too different in the summer, although some hot afternoon he plans to take the teamto the river to play canoe disc instead of their regular method of practicing.
Ultimate frisbee is a club sport at Dartmouth, which means the teams compete in intercollegiate tournaments, but the College gives them little money, according to co-captain Amy Stein '97.
"Our biggest expense is tournament fees, which are usually about $50-$100 each and the College covers that," she said.
But in order to cover other costs, such as transportation, the teams have their own fundraising activities. "We sell frisbees because they are profitable and cool to have," Stein said.
The teams also started a friends club last year, which brought in another $500, she said.
During a game of ultimate frisbee, seven players are on the field at one time. These players advance the frisbee down the field without running with it in an attempt to score. Games are played to a score of 15.
"Ultimate frisbee is a fast-paced game with a lot of running," Stein said. "It is a lot like lacrosse."
An important aspect of the sport, Stein said, is that it is played without referees, even at the competitive national level. The team is governed by what is called "the spirit of the game," and players call their own fouls and declare their own scores.
"It works out of respect for the other players and for the game of ultimate frisbee itself," Stein said.
"That whole nature of the game attracts a different breed of athlete, someone who's really out there for the joy of playing," Carbone said.
For most team members, it is their first time playing ultimate frisbee, although some players have had previous experience in high school, Carbone said.
"Almost everyone has thrown a frisbee," he said. "And that is some experience right there."
Stein said many ultimate players were varsity athletes who decided not to play varsity sports at the College. "Most are former varsity athletes, but they decided it took too much time or the coach was mean so they chose to play ultimate," Stein said.
Carbone said it is easy for students to get involved in the ultimate frisbee team. "We allow anyone to come out and practice if they want to run around and get exercise. Other players are more intense, and they want to go to tournaments," he said.
It is fairly common that a player may want to practice with the team but doesn't have the time to spend traveling to tournaments on weekends, Carbone said.
Players can receive physical education credit for participation in ultimate frisbee. "It's just like any other gym class," Carbone said. Players must sign up at the PE office and come to at least two practices a week, he said.
The teams usually practice at Sachem Field five times a week during the year and three times a week during the summer.
They can't practice on the Green, Stein said, because cleats are not allowed.
"During the winter we play on the Green at night and at the beginning of the season, but that is just to spark interest," Stein said.
Two Colleges that have ultimate teams that compete regulary with Dartmouth are Middlebury College and Williams College.
"We are good friends with them and we play them a lot," Stein said.
Ultimate frisbee tournaments usually last two days over the weekend. Ten to 20 teams participate, Stein said, and each team usually plays five games in one day.
"It is very tiring," she said.
Stein said that the players from all of the teams usually get together for a party on the Saturday night between the two days of the tournament.
"The thing about ultimate that makes it different from other sports is that we play really competitively all day, and then at night we hang out and drink beers with these people and become friends. Then the next day we play really competitively again," she said.
But the ultimate frisbee teams do not participate in only intercollegiate tournaments. There are club teams throughout the country, Stein said.
"The people are usually about 30 years old so we are generally the youngest people there," she said.
